PHOENIX — An arrest has been made in connection with a violent sexual assault that took place in August.
In September, Phoenix police released details of the investigation, saying the incident happened on Aug. 14, 2025, in a neighborhood near 44th and Oak streets, just north of McDowell Road.
On that morning, officers were called to investigate reports of an injured person and a woman reportedly yelling from a nearby alley. When officers arrived, they found a trail of blood and located a severely injured woman near an alleyway/carport area.
She was only wearing a shirt and was covered in blood. She was taken to a hospital in critical condition and later released.
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Court documents reveal a suspect, identified as 24-year-old Luis Gustavo Prudente Tapia, was arrested and is facing multiple charges, including attempted murder, kidnapping, sexual assault, and aggravated assault.
Detectives reviewed surveillance from nearby businesses and collected evidence from the scene, including a pair of men's shorts with a soccer logo and two used condoms.
Documents state that on September 12, detectives received a phone call from a woman who reported that "Gustavo's" roommate went to her place the day after the incident and said "he did not sleep because of what Gustavo did."
He reportedly told her he was sleeping when two other roommates went in and told him they "could hear Gustavo behind the house, in the alley doing something weird."
When they went out to check, the roommate said Gustavo hurried over to them and said he was in a fight with three men.
The caller said the roommate told her he saw something on the ground, like a person, but didn't want to get involved or get close.
A few days later, on September 15, the woman caller contacted detectives again, in person, and provided video clips from social media of Gustavo. Detectives were able to use the clips to identify Gustavo.
A search warrant was served at their home, which is also near the scene of the crime. Gustavo was not there; however, detectives interviewed the roommates, who told a similar story to the one the woman caller reported.
Police were able to track down Gustavo at a residence in south Phoenix and take him in for questioning on September 20.
During a police interview, Gustavo admitted he was in the alley in the early morning hours of the day the crime took place.
Court documents state he told detectives that he approached the victim for sex and offered her $100. He said she initially took the money but "got mad" and threw it back at him.
He admitted to having sex with the victim, hitting her approximately 10 times, kicking her, and jumping on her during the attack.
He also acknowledged removing her clothes and the victim yelling "no" multiple times.
Documents state Gustavo refused to submit to a DNA sample.
He was booked into jail and is awaiting his next court date.
